Elections chief: Long GOP ballot causes delays

Morgan Lyles, far right, eats dinner, that was delivered to her by her mother while Lyles waits in a long line to vote at the Rutherford County Election Commission Annex on Vine Street, Tuesday, March 1, 2016.(Photo: HELEN COMER/DNJ)Buy Photo

MURFREESBORO — A lengthy, 10-page Republican presidential ballot caused questions, confusion for some voters and occasional delays at Rutherford County precincts, according to the county's top election official.

"We are fully staffed, and the long ballot on the Republican side is causing delays," said Elections Administrator Alan Farley in an email Tuesday afternoon. "We just ask people to be patient as our poll workers are working diligently to get everyone voted."

The Republican ballot asked voters to select 14 delegates-at-large and four delegates from congressional districts to the party's convention, slowed down the voting process.

Technical issues slowed the pace of voting at several precincts early Tuesday.

A handful of precincts had computer issues as the polls opened, which included a select number of malfunctioning laptops or printers, Farley said.

“When that occurs, we have them to process paper applications to vote on the machine,” Farley said that morning. “If they have a machine issue, they would vote on paper ballots to keep from turning voters away.”

Poll workers at Leanna Community Center said they had trouble getting all of their laptops working, which meant that fewer voters could be checked in to cast their ballots. Two hours after the polls opened, the line to vote at the rural community center went outside the front door.

Voters also complained on social media that printer problems kept Oakland Middle School from taking voters when polls were supposed to open at 7 a.m.

Technicians were sent to the target areas and resolved the issues at each precinct, Farley said.